Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Dark at 4


Flights to and from Portland Jetport (PWM) never leave on time and always run late. Thick fog often blankets the bay, limiting hourly traffic at the one-horse airport. In the cold months (September to April), Nor'Easters sporadically slam into the coast adding another layer of flight delays. At first, these delays pissed me off like a scratched DVD from Netflix. After hours spent meandering through the magazine shops in airports , I realized that these systematic delays contributed to the remote appeal of Maine.

Without fail, fog and rain delayed my flight to Portland from LaGuardia the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Excited to have nothing better to do than read emails and articles on my phone, I waited at the gate. On the flight, I sat at the window, face pressed against the safety glass watching the lights pass miles bellow. Flying out over the Connecticut sound and up 95 through Mass and New Hampshire, the pilot signaled the initial approach some 25 minutes into the flight.

Walking through the airport with its familiar windows and posters, I bypassed the baggage claim and stepped into the cold November air. I didn't see a single cab.

For the next three days, I wondered the familiar country with my college roommate and frequent accomplice, Tucker.

Higgins Beach.

The Old Port, Portland.

Cape Elizabeth.

A Portland land mark.

Darkness descended early with shadows stretching eastward at 2:30. By 4, the last glimmers of light bounced around the clouds before sinking down for a sixteen hour night.

Red, yellow and green.

I like this hanging light.

The last leaves of fall.
Enjoying the warm light afforded by a mere eight hours separating sunrise and sunset, I shot often. Protecting my cold fingers in the wool pocket of my Mackinaw jacket, my memories of living in Maine for four years quickly came back. However as a visitor, my perspective changed slightly, making me thankful to smell the cold sea air and see the dark night sky far from the shinning lights of twenty million people.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

these photos are damn good, foster.

Foster Huntington said...

brian,
flattered by your words. glad you like them.
foster

Anonymous said...

When I visted NYC this year, I loved it. But I must admit it was great to get back home to the quiet pace. As usual magnificent photos Foster! Thanks for sharing.

Foster Huntington said...

Thanks for the kind words. New York is an amazing place, and i dont want to live anywhere else at this stage in my life. with that said, i couldnt survive with out getting away on adventures,
foster

tons of land said...

great post. i was there as well - we probably passed each other on the street.

Foster Huntington said...

Brett,
it was beautiful, wasnt it? hope you had a nice time.
foster

Anonymous said...

Higgins Beach, my favorite beach in the whole wide world.

Anonymous said...

Remarkable--I feel as if you've taken me there!

Foster Huntington said...

thank you wanderchow. getting a way is the best. always inspires,
foster